


Like, Love, and Unconditional Family

by Diary



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Bechdel Test Fail, Bottle Episode Fic, Conversations, Family, Friendship/Love, Gen, Gen Fic, Good Slytherins, Harry Potter Next Generation, Minor Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley, POV Male Character, POV Percy Weasley, Post-Canon, Post-Deathly Hallows, Slytherin Rose Weasley
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-19
Updated: 2016-08-19
Packaged: 2018-08-09 18:18:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,728
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7812229
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Diary/pseuds/Diary
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Reposted under a different title. Rose and Percy talk about her being Slytherin. Complete.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Like, Love, and Unconditional Family

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Harry Potter.

One summer day, twelve-year-old Rose Granger-Weasley notes, “You don’t like me much."

Percy’s too busy proof-reading his report to really hear at first. “Pardon?”

When she repeats herself, he sputters, “Where would you get that idea?” Setting his reports aside, he motions for her to come over.

Climbing onto the sofa, Rose curls her legs under her. “It’s okay. You don’t like any of us. The rest, though, they don’t like me because of Slytherin. Just like Malfoy’s grandmum and dad is so mad about him being in Hufflepuff. His dad’s really cool about it, though. Doesn’t seem at all like the stories of him when Mum and Dad were growing up.”

Percy does a quick mental comparison. The present Draco Malfoy is a clown who is always making up stories to entertain children and willing to argue for hours over whether chocolate or bacon is the best flavour ever. The Malfoy who had tormented Ron and the others had been much the same with the big exception of also being bigoted and selfish.

“In some ways, he isn’t,” he answers. “Rose, your family and I love you. What’s given you the impression that isn’t true?”

She gives him a look Ron is so fond of employing. “‘Your family and I’,” she repeats. “What are you? A paid babysitter?”

Seeing the realisation he just might be cross her face, Percy quickly says, “Of course not. You’re right; I worded that poorly. However, we-”

“I’m not a little kid,” Rose reminds him. “I’d appreciate it if you and the others would just tell the truth.”

Sighing, Percy takes off his glasses and pinches the bridge of his nose. He isn’t necessarily a paid babysitter as he is a blackmailed one. When Hermione was pregnant with Hugo, Ron had promised he’d get the others to stop pestering Percy during the holidays if Percy would babysit her. Then, the promise extended to if he babysat both Rose and Hugo. Then, it extended to all of his nieces and nephews.

Now, Hugo's proven he doesn't need a babysitter, but Rose doesn't like being left with no adults nearby and, when given the choice, always picks Percy over any of her grandparents or the Potters.

He doesn’t really mind. Most of the children drag along toys and are willing to obey the few rules he has, but he imagines Rose would be hurt by the truth he only sees her and the others because he can no longer stand family parties and feels his blood boil when the others try to force him into going.

Sliding his glasses back on, he says, “Rose, the honest truth is that everyone is somewhat prejudiced. It’s not just people like Tom Riddle.”

Taking out a handkerchief and wiping a spot on her face smeared with chocolate, he continues, “Being prejudiced doesn’t automatically make one bad. Growing up, your parents and everyone else in the family had a lot of bad experiences with people in Slytherin.”

Hesitating, he wonders if he should continue in this vein. Making a decision, he says, “And at first, your parents were likely worried you’d be like them. However,” he says with a surge guilt at the look flashing across her face, “they love you, and once they thought about it, they realised how foolish they were.”

“You’re a kind, strong, stubborn person, just like them. Slytherin is the best place for you, not because you’re bad, but because you’re ambitious and intelligent and not easily scared. They see that, and they’re proud to have a daughter like you. I’m proud to have a niece like you.”

A smile breaks out, and Percy feels a sense of relief.

It’s short-lived, however.

“But you don’t like the others. I mean, not Hugo and Albus and the others, but Mum and Uncle Harry and them.”

Some part of him wants to retort, ‘They don’t like me.’ Instead, he says, “That’s not true, Rose. I love all of you dearly.”

She gives him a sceptical look. “Have you decided to stop with the truth-telling?”

“I am telling the truth." Briefly closing his eyes, he asks, “What do you know about the fight I once had with the others?”

“Why don’t you tell me your side? That’s the side I’ve never really heard, but I’ve always wondered how different it is from the others.”

Clever girl, he thinks with sad pride.

Opening his eyes, he answers, “I was badly hurt by the way they reacted to my promotion. I was angry, and I did some things I probably shouldn’t have. When the Ministry turned against Uncle Harry, I wasn’t sure if they were right or not, but I had never really spent much time with him. The fact that they had a high chance of being right was enough for me. So, we, the family and I, didn’t really like each. I don’t know what they felt, but I felt that what I was doing was right. I still feel that some of what I did was right. Not all, but some. When the final battle came, I said everything they wanted to hear, even though I didn’t truly agree with all of it.”

He looks down at his hands. “After everything was settled, I realised that I could keep pretending that I was sorry for things I wasn’t, or I could work on becoming someone I was proud of. I choose the latter.”

“Dad said you used to be really into rules. He was real surprised with how you babysitted me and the others,” she informs him with a tilt of her head.

A chuckle escapes him. “He’s certainly right. When I was younger, I liked boundaries, and I couldn’t understand why others didn’t. I always tried to impose them on Ron and the others. Your mother also liked boundaries, though, she had much better luck with Ron than I did.”

“I still like boundaries,” he continues. “But I’ve learned, when it comes to others, to only impose truly necessary ones. As long as you and the others are safe and aren’t doing anything your parents would disapprove of, I see no reason to insist you play a certain game or follow the rules of games to the letter.”    

“Do you ever wish you had done things differently,” she asks.

“Some things,” he answers. “As I said, I still think some of the things I did when I was on bad terms with the others was right. But there are some things I do regret. And as much as I like boundaries, I wish I had been a little more adventurous when I was growing up, that I had tried to genuinely know other people."

“Uncle George’s twin,” Rose prompts.

“Yes, but not just him. I never really knew your dad, your mum, any of them when we were growing up. I was always too busy with something. I didn’t even know my own roommates at Hogwarts, really.”

Rose stands up. “So, why don’t’cha get to know them now?”

Walking over to the kitchen, Percy hands her a liquorice wand before getting himself some pumpkin juice. “I’m not saying this because you’re a child,” he assures her. “But the answer to that is very complicated.”

“Try,” she insists.

He shakes his head. “If I could, we likely wouldn’t be having this conversation." Kneeling down to her level, he says, “The important thing is: I love you, and I’m always going to be here for you. I don’t care if you’re in Slytherin or a squib. You’re always going to be my sweet, beautiful niece. And the others feel the exact same way.”

“As long as I don’t do anything they think is too bad,” she replies.

Reaching out and cupping her head, he says, “Rose. Everyone does bad things. We’re all still going to love you, even when you do something wrong. Love isn’t conditional.”

She shakes her head. “I love you, Uncle Percy. But you’re proof that doing bad things, or things that the family thinks is bad, means you aren’t loved anymore, aren’t you?”

“No,” he answers. “The others love me, and I love them. You can ask your parents or any of your aunts and uncles. They’ll tell you that they love me. But sometimes,” he wonders how to properly word this, “love doesn’t mean like. They’ve never particularly liked me, and as I said, I never got to know them well enough to like or dislike them. They do like you, though,” he assures her. “You know them, and they know you. Because of that, if you ever make a big mistake, it will easier for them to forgive. If Hugo or any of your cousins ever make a mistake, it might take time, but eventually, you’ll be able to forgive them.”

“Kelly doesn’t like her cousins,” Rose says. “And John doesn’t like his little brothers.”

“Some people don’t like family members,” Percy replies. “Someday, when you’re older, you’ll be able to understand how different love and like can be. Hopefully, you’ll also see that you’re loved and liked both.”

Shrugging, Rose asks, “Can I look at your lunascope?”

Inwardly breathing a sigh, Percy nods and takes her to get it.

0

“Hermione, I’m having trouble with a report," Percy says. "Would you mind looking over it?”

Ron gives him a concerned look before distracting Rose as Percy leads Hermione into office.

Once a silencing charm is put in place, Percy gives an edited version: Rose is afraid Ron and Hermione aren’t happy due to her placement in Slytherin, and she’s afraid love is conditional. He mentions it might be a good idea to explain in detail the period when he and the others fought.

“Thank you, Percy,” Hermione sighs.

“Everyone makes mistakes,” he reminds her. “Even parents. I suggest you and Ron explain that to her. She’s at an age where anything less than what she perceives to be the absolute truth annoys her.”

Smiling, Hermione removes the spell. “I hope you’ll attend the party next month.”

Percy doesn’t answer besides a polite headshake. He kisses his niece goodbye and promises he’ll take her to the park next week before warning Ron the weather is rainy and to be careful flying the carpet.

“Love you, Uncle Percy!” Rose says as the carpet takes off.

“I love you, too,” he calls.


End file.
